Foote, Julia A.J.A Brand Plucked From the Fire

Disobedience, but Happy Results

Finally
, I did something I never had done before: I had deliberately disobeyed my
mother. I visited these old saints, weeping as though my heart would break. When I grew calm, I
told them all my troubles, and asked them what I must do to get rid of them. They told me that
sanctification was for the young believer, as well as the old. These words were a portion in due
season. After talking a long time, and they had prayed with me, I returned home, though not yet
satisfied.

I remained in this condition more than a week, going many times to my secret place of prayer,
which was behind the chimney in the garret of our house. None but those who have passed up this
way know how wretched every moment of my life was. I thought I must die. But truly, God does
make his little ones ministering angles-- sending them forth on missions of love and mercy.
So he sent that dear old mother in Israel to me one fine morning in May. At the sight of her my
heart seemed to

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melt within me, so unexpected, and yet so much desired was her visit. Oh, bless the Lord for
sanctified men and women!

There was no one at home except the younger children, so our coming together was
uninterrupted. She read and explained many passages of Scripture to me, such as, John xvii; 1
Thess. iv. 3; v. 23; 1 Cor. vi. 9-12; Heb. ii. 11; and many others--carefully marking them in
my Bible. All this had been as a sealed book to me until now. Glory to Jesus! the seals were
broken and light began to shine upon the blessed Word of God as I had never seen it before.

The second day after that pilgrim's visit, while waiting on the Lord, my large desire was
granted, through faith in my precious Saviour. The glory of God seemed almost to prostrate me
to the floor. There was, indeed, a weight of glory resting upon me.I sang with all my heart.

"This is the was I long have sought,And mourned because I found it not."

Glory to the Father! glory to the Son! and glory to the Holy Ghost! who hath plucked me as a
brand from the burning, and sealed. me unto eternal life. I no longer hoped for glory, but I had the
full assurance of it. Praise

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the Lord for Paul-like faith! "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I,but Christ
liveth in me." This, my constant prayer, was answered, that I might be strengthened with might by
his Spirit; in the inner man; that being rooted and grounded in love, I might be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the length, and breadth, and heighth, and depth, and to know
the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God.

I had been afraid to tell my mother I was praying for sanctification, but when the "old man"
was cast out of my heart, and perfect love took possession, I lost all fear. I went straight to my
mother and told her I was sanctified. She was astonished, and called my father and told him what
I had said. He was amazed as well, but said not a word. I at once began to read to them out of my
Bible, and to many others, thinking, in nay simplicity, that they would believe and receive the
same blessing at once. To the glory of God, some did believe and were saved, but many were too
wise to be taught by a, child--too good to be made better.

From this time, many, who had been my warmest friends, and seemed to think me a Christian,
turned against me, saying I did not

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know what I was talking about -- that there was no such thing as sanctification and
holiness in this life--and that the devil had deluded me into self-righteousness. Many of
them fought holiness with more zeal and vigor than they did sin. Amid all this, I had that sweet
peace that passeth all understanding springing up within my soul like a perennial
foundation--glory to the precious blood of Jesus!